Used as an adjective by people who want to appear smarter than they really are. You often hear people say "I liked that, it was very artistic", who clearly don't quite know what they mean by that. I suppose what they mean is that it has an avant garde feel to it, and they like the fact that they've enjoyed something which leans towards being high art. It is a very over-used word though, and one that seems to have lost its meaning (along with the word "interesting"). I mean, you can call a painting that depicts something unusual, or a film that uses quirky camera angles, "artistic", but unless it actually provokes a response, or has some meaning to it, it's just art for art's sake, hence it's not "artistic", it's just bollocks.

A — The Artistic Type

This type is one of Holland’s Vocational Personality Types. The Artistic type can be described by the following characteristics:


Adjectives
Complicated, Expressive, Idealistic, Impractical, Independent, Intuitive, Original, Tense, Unconventional


Preferences & Values

Dislikes

Aptitudes
writing, music, art


Common Vocational choices
actor, artist, author, cartoonist, composer, decorator, interior designer, dramatic coach, musician, poet, producer, singer, symphony conductor, writer


Negative Traits

Ar*tis"tic, Ar*tis"tic*al (#), a. [Cf. F. artistique, fr. artiste.]

Of or pertaining to art or to artists; made in the manner of an artist; conformable to art; characterized by art; showing taste or skill.

-- Ar*tis"tic*al*ly, adv.

 

© Webster 1913.

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